


Does Burnt Gingerbread Sound Good?

by fandomfairytales



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Baking, Ben loves her retro TARDIS apron, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, I couldn't resist, Locked Out, Misunderstandings, Rey is all for geeky christmas stuff, Rey loves Doctor Who, Romance, background Poe/Finn - Freeform, ben is smitten, everyone ships reylo, frenemies to lovers, guess who's a fireman, rey has been pining for too damn long, spot the Star Wars references, that are actually poor attempts at flirting, that's right it's Ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 04:50:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17094230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomfairytales/pseuds/fandomfairytales
Summary: Written for Reylo Trash Compactor; All I Want For Christmas Is You Fest 2018Prompts:•	Food/drinking/baking #9: We’re neighbours and I got locked out of my apartment; I was baking cookies and they’ll burn if I don’t get in there quick.•	Christmas decorating #1: can you put the topper on, I can’t reach•	Festive fun #3: does that stocking have my name on it?





	1. I Need You To Kick My Door Down

**Author's Note:**

> I had so much fun writing this fic 
> 
> a huge thank you to my wonderful beta @daynaann
> 
> massive thanks to whoever left prompts and to the admins for organising this, you are all amazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey is locked out of her apartment, whatever is a girl to do? 
> 
> it seems the only way she's getting out of this mess is asking for the help of fireman/neighbour/frenemy Ben Solo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No doors were harmed in the making of this fic

 

 

 

oOo

Rey couldn’t believe her bad luck.

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker overture taunted her from the other side of the door

It was Christmas Eve and she was locked out of her apartment.

Christmas Eve and she was locked out of her apartment while baking cookies. She dared to think it couldn’t get worse.

Rey wasn’t a crier, but this time it was warranted. She’d been so sure there had been a knock at her door and she knew better than to investigate… clearly, she didn’t listen to her instincts.

She slumped against her front door (rather dramatically) and let it all out. Her tears leaving tracks in the flour she had unknowingly wiped on her cheek, while she sobbed into her apron. It didn’t take long for her to pick herself up, she slowly felt the pressure around her lungs release and clarity returned to her with a bright idea.

There was one way she was getting in that apartment before her cookies burned. It wasn’t good news for her super, but if things worked out the way she hoped, she wouldn’t really need to worry about it, she was good at fixing things. All she had to do was set aside her pride for one damn minute.

She stood, straightened her clothes, apron and shoulders and marched across the hall with determination in her eyes.

Ben Solo, her neighbour was the kind of guy that required quite a bit of courage to face. He’d lived across from her for the better part of four years and in that time, she had come to admire him from afar. A nicer way of saying that she caught him working out in the building’s gym and now featured him in most of her fantasies. Unfortunately, she could also count on one hand the number of times they had actually managed civil conversations, and those experiences had only made things worse. Turned out, he was capable of disarming her with innate charm and sweet shyness, but alas, by then they were firmly set in their bickering ways.

So, why was he the cure to her locked door malady? Well, Ben solo, in addition to being witty and sneakily hot under all those t-shirts and flannel, was also one of Chandrila’s bravest; A fireman-

Finn, (another tenant further down the hall) and Ben’s roommate Poe; a likely couple that first introduced her to the building, often quipped that she was one step away from living porn; she told them they needed to stay off the internet.

Besides, she’d actually have to stop shouting at him if she had any hope of that happening. But she wasn’t about to make that known.

Swiping at her face in a futile attempt to remove the evidence of her emotions, she knocked firmly and prayed that he was home.

“Yeah, yeah! Just a minute Poe, I’ll be right there! I’d really rather not do this right now…”

Uh oh…She heard the familiar sound of a deadbolt unlocking and he opened the door while finishing his sentence, only to find he had a case of mistaken identity on his hands.

“…What? did you forget your ke-”

Looking decidedly at her worst, she came face to face with Ben Solo at his best. Well, face to bare chest more like, the man was a bloody tree.

She stood frozen, attempting to reboot her brain while he just stood there, strangely comfortable despite his lacking state of dress… Wait, was he blushing? Surely not, probably just shower hot a had… Had a hot shower; ugh, she needed to calm down.

“D-do you have something? A shirt, or um, something you could put on?”

The little voice in the back of her mind screamed in protest. Little did she know his was in cahoots with her own.

He smirked at her and stayed right where he was, so Rey did the only thing she could think of, she soldiered on, ignoring the fact that his body was something out of a Michelangelo fantasy (PRAISE FUCKING JESUS!)

“And actually, for your information, _yes_ , I did forget my key.”

“Huh, must’ve been a premonition then.”

“Well you could have _told_ me, would have saved me a lot of trouble.”

He laughed brightly and even though the sound of it made her heart melt, her face remained stony and serious. What was it about him that riled her up so easily?

Eventually, he caught on to her lack of humour and at least had the decency to look sheepish before moving out of the way, gesturing for her to come in with a quiet apology following closely behind her.

“Um…Do you need to use the phone? Call a locksmith or-?”

She took a deep breath, working herself up to ask for what she wanted without appearing flustered and ridiculous… The little voice suggested tacking on an innuendo, something about ‘which door’ and she quickly shoved the thought to the back of her mind before interrupting him.

“Actually, I need you to kick my door down…”

He choked on air… Good, it served him right for laughing.

“I mean, you're a fireman right, wouldn’t you say prevention is better than burning the building down? Or does burnt gingerbread sound good to you?”

“Uh, yes but why do-”

“Because I’m baking cookies and they’ll burn if I don’t get in there quick; I’ve got about ohh-”

She glanced down at her watch for ‘effect’, which was really just a thinly veiled attempt at testing whether or not she could take her eyes off him (it was not a success, she peeked through her lashes).

“-Fifteen minutes, before they’re burned to a crisp, along with most of my belongings, so you know… Chop chop!”

That seemed to kick him into action. It was almost comical (stress on the almost, because there were other things going on in her brain), watching him dart out of the room in his towel; unfortunately, he returned looking very collected and was wearing significantly more clothing; although really, he could have put boxers on and hidden more.

He brushed past her with a new sense of purpose and she had to wonder what was going on in that head of his. If she were anything like Bazine from upstairs, she imagined he’d be wondering if this was some elaborate kidnapping scheme designed to keep him chained to her bed, but she was just plain ol’ Rey and he was hard to get a read on.

She followed him out and-

“What on earth are you doing?”

He was kneeling in front of her door doing everything but getting her inside. She ignored her inner comment about how a change of wording could make this all better.

“Shush.”

She felt her cheeks burn and indignance simmer in her chest.

“Don’t tell me to-”

“SHHH!”

“ _How. Dare_ -!”

“ _SHHHHH…_ ”

“YOU COMPLETE-!”

“…SHHHHHHHH!”

Seconds before her rage ignited, she caught the little flash of metal in his hands, it looked like- Oh… her deflation was palpable; he had tools. She almost laughed at the absurdity of it.

“Are you seriously attempting to pick the lock?”

“Well, yeah? What’s it _look_ like I’m doing?”

“So, you’re breaking into my flat?”

He scoffed and how she wanted to wipe that smug look of his face.

“I guess so, Princess.”

“Since when do they teach firemen to pick locks?”

He didn’t reply and for some reason, it annoyed her more that he was ignoring her. Then she noticed him biting his lip in concentration and lost her train of thought.

The ticking of her watch was starting to grate on her nerves, and it was so quiet she could hear the Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy (a strangely fitting backing) in the distance that was her door and the kitchen. The longer he took the worse her anxiety got until finally she heard a light click and her door swung open.

“Neat trick; mind if I?”

She held her hand out, curious to see what he’d used to work his magic on her door.

“No, not at all.”

He handed the kit over to her, still kneeling mind you, and accidentally sent shivers down her spine when their hands met for a moment.

“There now; you should have about ten minutes to spare and you don’t have to replace the door.”

He dusted himself off as he stood and all of a sudden, he was way too close for comfort. Alarm bells and sirens were going off in her head and she resisted the urge to lean in. Ben didn’t want her like that, she didn’t need to embarrass herself. Oh, but the way he was looking down at her, she wished it was real and not some trick of the light.

They stood awkwardly before the threshold, eyes locked in an intense stalemate; both unknowingly hoping the other would break first. Then it was all over. With a hurried ‘thank you’ Rey scampered inside and shut the door behind her, forcing out a sigh of relief while she saved her cookies.

It didn’t really help.

 

oOo

Ben stalked back towards his apartment, feeling too claustrophobic to go in yet, wondering what had just happened. He’d been so close, sure that his courage wouldn’t fail him this time; Hell, he just stood there, practically naked in front of her and didn’t so much as flinch; but taking that extra step, kissing her… No, that was taking things too far.

Carding his hands roughly through his hair in an attempt to calm his raging anxiety, he had to wonder why he didn’t just take that leap, but once again, his fear of rejection…No, his fear of _her_ rejection was enough to make him pull away.

With most of their interactions founded on misunderstandings, his trepidation was understandable. The very first time he met her had accidentally set the tone of their relationship; he teased her for her triple bun hairstyle and she asked if someone got a little too excited playing ‘I got your nose’.

For Ben, it was love at first sight (well, insult), but her feelings were clearly the reverse.

So, he tucked them away and tried not to let himself hope that one day her sentiments might change. He traded barbs with her and slowly convinced himself that he was fine being frenemies because that was as close to her as he’d ever get.

But she just had to knock on his door in that stupid retro TARDIS apron Poe got her last year. He wasn’t sure why the sight of her in it was so appealing, maybe it was a case of residual caveman instincts taking sick pleasure in the way it framed her figure, knowing he’d been the one to suggest it in the first place. After all, he’d listened to that stupid, regrettably catchy, sci-fi theme music often enough to figure out she was a fan; seriously it was like the woman had no idea volume control existed.

Then again it was far more likely he found the person wearing it tantalizing, not the garment itself. Most days she just had to cross his mind and he’d find himself half hard and praying he didn’t embarrass himself. Innocuous things were the worst; things he never thought would inspire such reactions; her mussed hair the day she moved in, her terrible singing, the sound of her pottering around her apartment, drunk on the fire escape talking about life before entering the new year with a shot and a laugh (which had almost become a kiss), coming home from a late shift with circles under her eyes, or in the hall before her morning coffee… She was consistent in the way she captivated him.

But in the end, it always left him feeling foolish. Today was no exception; she needed help and he was willing, but everything else that transpired was nothing short of torment, even if some of it was self-inflicted.

With his emotions finally back to a gentle simmer, Ben reached into his pocket and felt his stomach drop when he came up empty, he patted himself down and prayed, but God didn’t hear him.

‘Okay, this is fine you have your ki- wait a sec.’

Oh no.

“Fucking perfect!”

Of all the god damn days.

Of all the times to-

How could he have been so stupid?

 

oOo


	2. Apron Pockets Make Good Hiding Places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh look, smut :) 
> 
> more to come next chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for those who are wondering; 
> 
> Rey was adopted by Maz and Chewie; Maz is Polish and passed down her recipe for gingerbread their first Christmas together, one of my fondest memories is of my Babcia's Pierniczki so i decided to make that part of this.

oOo

Rey was safe inside her apartment feeling more than a little guilty. Her cookies were fine, not even close to ready yet, but they were fine… Rey on the other hand not so much.

For a moment, just a millisecond, there was a question hanging between herself and Ben like mistletoe, one that she hadn’t been brave enough to find the answer to. She was just thankful she escaped when she did, as much as she wanted to invite him in and offer him a cookie for his troubles, if she’d had to look at him another second, she might have jumped him. 

But in the spirit of Christmas, she decided that packing up a few out of the batch he helped rescue might be a nice gesture on her part. Some twisted part of her really wanted to watch him eat them, she knew how sublime they were and more than anything she wanted to hear that satisfied little moan he tended to make when he liked something. If she could manage that she’d be doing her adoptive mother Maz proud.

But that would have to wait, for one thing, they weren’t even cooled yet and two, she heard shouting in the hall. 

For the second time that night, Rey went to investigate strange goings-on. This time she had the good sense to make use of the peephole (an oversight last time) and once she moved the tinsel out of the way, found a very distressed looking Ben Solo on the other side. Her heart started jumping but thankfully her brain was more than adept at intervening before it started doing silly things like skipping.

He seemed to be debating with himself, arguing with no one… Maybe he had headphones in and was talking to Poe? 

Nope, he ran his hands through his hair, pulling at midnight strands enough for her to see that he was just going crazy. 

It took her longer than she wanted to admit for her to realise that there was a reason for such odd behaviours. His pacing and scarlet cheeks should have been a clue though, it was clear he was working himself up to something. 

He sat down on the stairs, just on the periphery of her little viewpoint and hung his head in his hands. She would not be bested by temptation this time, no sir, she was staying put; but surely there was no harm in watching him... Right?

A few minutes later, she blinked and all of a sudden, she was startled into a fall when he knocked sharply. Distracted as usual she hadn’t registered that he was heading her way, but she managed to bite back her annoyance. 

She yanked the door open (and maybe that was being a bit obvious) and there he stood, sheepish and looking like he wanted to be anywhere else. 

‘Play it cool Rey, he’s probably just thought of a good comeback or something’ 

She really wished it was ‘or something’

“Um, can I get that kit back? Please.”

He shuffled awkwardly and dug his hands in his pockets; one of his tells, he did it to stop himself running his hands through his hair when he was nervous, he must have realised she had picked up on the alternative. 

“What kit?”

“You ah, took it with you when you went to save your cookies.”

She hadn’t even noticed, but she could feel it in her apron’s pocket. It was at that moment her heart won the war and she was practically a bystander to what she did next. and boy was it a blatant lie. 

“I um, don’t remember taking it in with me, but come on in and I’ll have a look.”

She grabbed the hem of his shirt to pull him inside and somewhere inside her mind there were celebrations going on. He trailed behind her, taking in her surroundings, not for the first time but still just as carefully; as though it might be the last time he saw it. She thought it strange for a split second before she filed it away along with all the other things she found odd about Ben Solo. 

Before she could pretend she went looking, the shrill sound of her timer going off sounded brightly through the apartment. No way she was leaving her cookies in there a second longer than they needed to be. 

She scurried back and slipped on her oven mitts. Cute things she’d found in a dollar store that were made to look like Daleks and just happened to be on theme with her TARDIS apron. 

The second she opened the oven, hit with that expected blast of heat, she knew she had reached baking perfection.

oOo

Ben was officially weirded out. She’d asked him in, went to ‘look for his lockpicks’ and now he was sitting at her breakfast bar trying not to stare at her ass while she bent to take out the cookies he’d helped rescue.

Frankly, if it weren’t already Christmas, he’d say that it had come early because lord help him, that sight alone was a gift. 

Knowing that any second he might be caught, he studiously began to inspect her excessive Christmas decorations. Her tree was practically groaning under the weight of lights, tinsel and ornaments, her windows were covered in little stars and candy canes, she had Santa figures all over and a funny little fiberoptic nativity with characters from Star Wars set up according to role similarities. He stifled a snort at the sight of an absent Joseph and baby Jesus holding a little sign that said Anakin in block letters. 

‘Well, he was _meant_ to be the chosen one’ Ben joked to himself. 

A moment later he had a new distraction, Rey turned and placed a tray of the most delicious looking cookies in front of him. 

Cinnamon and ginger assaulted his nose in the most wonderful of ways and he had to stop himself drooling for an entirely different reason. 

“You can have one if you like.”

He wasted no time reaching out and was shocked when she slapped his hand away. 

“Oi, once they’ve cooled dummy! Trust me they taste better without the burns.”

“Oh, right…”

“They’re Pierniczki; Polish gingerbread, my Mum’s recipe.”

“Well, they look amazing. Maz will be really proud.”

“I know, I can’t wait to show her, I just hope they taste as good… Oh, and wait till they’re decorated! I'm going to ice them to look like snowflakes and baubles. It takes a while but its so worth it, they look like something out of a fairytale, all white lacy icing…”

Rey was getting more and more excited, rambling about what made her cookies special and Ben loved every second of it, though the story itself was on the sweeter side of bittersweet. Apparently, baking had become something of a shared love and tradition after her adoption, with Maz passing on many of her family’s Polish recipes to her new daughter. But this one, in particular, held special significance as the first thing they ever baked together. 

The more Rey spoke the more he found himself slipping into a comfortable if dreamy expression. There was only one problem, he was so involved in listening to her that he was too late to react when she stopped. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Shit. 

“I uhm… like what?”

He knew what, like a starry-eyed fool, that’s what. Oh boy, he was in for it now. She huffed, and he felt the tension growing again, the air in the room turned heavy, like a prelude to a storm.

She stomped around the counter (her four steps comically in time with the Nutcracker March) and peered down at him, once again close enough for things to go one way or the other. 

Only this time, when she leant down, he took it for what he hoped it meant. There was no courage, no curiosity in the gesture, it was simply a deep and intense longing to be done with pretending. They’d danced around it for so long that he just gave up. 

He surged up, just at the right moment and caught her in what was really only slightly more than a peck and then as quickly as it had happened, he rocked back in his seat to wait for her reaction; trying not to think about the fact that her lips were just as soft and lush as he’d always imagined. 

She sputtered in surprise, searching for words that clearly weren’t coming any time soon and then.

And then… 

Her hands were firmly coiled in his hair, pulling him in and her lips were crashing down like thunder on his own. Static electricity sparked between them and Ben simultaneously wondered how he’d gone his whole life without this and what kind of life he’d have had if he never knew. 

It wasn’t the most stable of positions, but he made it work; his hands at her hips, he gently moved her closer to stand between his knees. 

It went on for ages, each exploring and delving into this new experience, taking the time to answer questions and curiosities with tongues and teeth, instead of poorly constructed and construed sentences. He growled unexpectedly when she nibbled on his bottom lip and she sank deeper into his embrace when he skimmed her sides and ran his hands over the TARDIS windows covering her breasts. 

When she finally pulled away, he chased her, a second, third and fourth time; until she was forced to hold him back so she could speak. 

Even then, he couldn’t be persuaded to stop and she came to see the good in his compromise; he kissed her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, down her jaw and neck, he was too far gone to resist leaving a mark or two behind. 

“Ben… I need you to…mmmh… I- I…”

She trailed off and decided to show him what she wanted. She pulled him up, gripping his hand tightly and forced a low whine from him when she turned away, dragging him down the hall and into… 

The world seemed to implode with the implication; she had led him to her bedroom. He didn’t get another moment to think about it; she kicked the door closed and started tugging at his shirt, he barely managed to get out of it before she was on him again, her hands on a very welcome mission of discovery.

“fuuuuck, how are you even possible?”

He stifled a laugh, wondering if she had taken a look in the mirror recently. She was in the process of returning his hickeys, her lips trailing fire across his collarbones; when he decided that it was high time he levelled the playing field. 

He tugged the bow cinching her apron at her waist loose and while her head was conveniently ducked, pulled it over her hair and off. 

Underneath was a shirt that read ‘Merry Fucking Christmas’ and he couldn’t help but smile and think ‘indeed’. He hooked a finger under her chin, interrupting her ministrations to kiss her quickly before asking; 

“Are you- o-okay with this?”

She looked positively wicked, smirking at him knowingly before pulling her shirt over her head.

“Finish what you started Ben.” 

“Are you sure, because we can-” 

He didn’t finish that train of thought. She stepped closer and palmed his length through his jeans; there really wasn’t another coherent thought after that. 

“Does that answer your question?”

She stroked him again and again and he barely managed a strangled yes, before pulling off her shirt. 

God, her tits were perfect, he could see a hint of shyness and vulnerability in her eyes as he studied her, and he decided that it would be his mission to ensure she never felt that he didn’t adore this and every other part of her. 

Planting another tender kiss at the hollow of her throat, he gently traced around her bra before undoing the clasp. There was a mutual sigh of satisfaction from both of them and he was certain he heard her mutter ‘that’s better’ under her breath while she set about kicking off her pyjama bottoms; perhaps her sigh was less arousal and more ‘thank God I'm out of this elastic death trap.’

She fit perfectly in his hands and he had to ignore a rather intrusive thought regarding how excited his thirteen-year-old self would have been to talk to, let alone touch a woman as gorgeous as Rey. 

In typical Rey fashion, it was also apparently the perfect time for a joke and while they both stood there laughing at her honest wish for his hands to replace her bra because it was, quote ‘Way more secure and seriously comfortable.’ He realised that he was more in love with her than he had thought possible, and for a moment he worried that she might not be on the same page. 

He quickly tamped down his anxiety, not wanting her to pick up on his new, underlying fear of it being a one-time thing.

He slid his hands down her waist and bent to tuck his hands beneath her thighs. In one swift, surprisingly coordinated movement, he picked her up and walked her back to the bed, reveling in the feel of her bare chest pressed firmly against his own and the way she ground her hips against his erection as he carried her over to the bed; Depositing her gently on it before crawling over her and putting his mouth to good use. 

He nipped and sucked at her supple flesh until he could hardly see straight and fell in love with every sound he pulled from her; the little mewls when he lightly pinched her nipple between his teeth, her quiet pleading when he dipped lower and fluttered kisses to her ribs and navel, the outright moan when he ran a finger along her clothed slit. 

He could feel the wetness there, just beginning to seep through the material and knew that he’d simply die if he didn’t taste her. 

“I want to see you come on my tongue first sweetheart.”

She groaned in response, as though that was just the thing she’d been missing all this time and suddenly couldn’t do without. Her fingers threaded into his hair as he made his way further south, sliding her underwear down her legs as he went, before sitting up to toss them into the dim abyss of her room. 

He also took the time to kick his own pants off, relieving some of the pressure. 

There was no shyness left in her now and he was ravenous, he didn’t bother with too much preamble, biting and sucking more bruises into her inner thighs until he finally reached her apex. She jolted against him with a sharp tug on his hair when he did, and he felt himself twitch in response.

Fuck, he really liked that; and she tasted divine. It was cliché, but he wanted to spend every minute he had left on earth with his tongue laving at her folds. With that attitude and level of enthusiasm, it didn’t take long to figure out what she liked. 

He felt sorry for whoever shared a wall with her, because like her T.V. and her speakers, Rey was far from quiet. He welcomed it completely; she hissed like water meeting flame, moaned his name and clutched at him in a vain attempt to get him closer… He loved every part of doing this for her. 

And when she came, pulsing against his mouth, gushing her release with a filthy cry; he was pretty sure that he found heaven.

oOo

Rey couldn’t think.

She couldn’t speak; if she tried, she was fairly certain it would come out as incoherent babbling. 

She’d always known Ben had a mouth on him but used liked that; well she never could have anticipated it. 

As she lay there panting, trying to form any sort of sentence to let him know just how affected she was; Rey began to wonder if there was a reason it had felt so sublime, so right. It didn’t feel like it was her own wishful thinking, it felt, strangely enough like a debate. 

Like he was presenting her with his evidence and opinions on why this was exactly why she needed him, needed to tell him that she wanted all of him, every day, for as long as he’d have her. 

He was still settled between her legs, watching intently as she came down from her high and looking at her with unbridled awe. It hit her then that there had perhaps been another misunderstanding, the gravest of them all; she'd believed he hadn’t wanted her, but he’d been the one to initiate that fateful kiss; everything after that had been on her, but she had never made it clear what it meant. 

Men didn’t stare at a woman the way Ben was without some kind of emotion behind it; under his gaze, she had never felt more appreciated or loved. 

Maybe it was hormones, maybe adrenaline but she couldn’t explain the tears that began to gather in her eyes. She wanted to gather him up and hold him close to her chest until all the hurt and teasing and lost time melted away. When she saw panic cross his features, she did just that; yanking him back up to her level and peppering kisses over every inch of skin she could reach until finally the words she’d hidden away, virtually since she met him, gained a voice. 

“I love you.”

He had the best and worst reaction. His grin was inexplicable in its brightness and it matched the expression that started it all perfectly (she liked the confirmation), but he remained silent and that terrified her. 

The seconds drew out, each one feeling impossibly long until as if in slow motion he reached for her and crushed her in his embrace. She didn’t mind in the least, his skin was cooler than her own and smooth as silk; it also meant she was close enough for him to whisper frantically in her ear just how long he had spent believing his reciprocation was unrequited. 

Rey’s heart bled. Four years she’d kept it a secret, almost as long as him. It explained so much. 

From then on with every reverent touch, every kiss, even her awkward fumbling to get a condom; he whispered those three words like an offering and a prayer. 

“I love you… I love you…”

Over and over again. 

When he entered her for the first time, it became a call and response, the sensation of him finally filling her almost too much for them to bear. Then he started to move, and the world tipped sideways. 

“I love you…”

“I- I know. I lo- love you too…”

He started out languid, making sure she could feel every part of him stretching her, hitting places that she could never reach on her own. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she knew that he had her right where he wanted her. But she didn’t want ‘just slow’, she wanted everything she knew he had; fire, passion, frantic abandon…

“Harder, p-please…”

He obliged instantly, driving up into her with enough force to make her bedframe groan.

“…Oh God, I love you!”

“Just Ben is fine.”

“O-oh, you bastard.”

How he kept his pace up she had no idea, he showed almost no sign of strain; it was nothing short of punishing and perfect. The only indicator was the fact they were both slick with sweat and she did her best to meet him thrust for thrust, canting her hips and arching into him as he fucked her the way she had always imagined. She was going to have bruises on her hips where he was gripping her, and a few others in between; but she was ultimately glad, they would serve as a reminder that this was real, and Ben truly loved her back. 

“I'm so close… I need-”

His fingers found her clit and she could have cried tears of joy.

“I know, I’ve got you, I love you.”

He rubbed tight circles around her little bundle of nerves and she came the second she heard those three words again.

“Fuuuuck Bennnn…”

He wasn’t far behind; her inner muscles working around him, pulsing with the intensity of her orgasm was too much and she held him close, relishing in the feeling of his face buried in the crook of her neck, his warm breath against her skin and his teeth biting down on her shoulder with whatever restraint he could muster. 

She murmured those same words tenderly as he found his own release, stroking his hair while she waited for him to catch his breath. 

She almost mourned the loss of his weight above her when he rolled off; immediately remedying the gap between them by slinging a leg over his hips and curling into his side. He gathered her up and pressed a feather-light kiss to her hair, whispering ‘I love you’ one last time before sleep took the both of them. 

In those last few seconds, her eyes found her bedside clock and she felt the need to say one last thing.

“Merry Christmas Ben.”

“Merry Christmas Rey.”

oOo


	3. Every Moment Together Is A Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the fluff here and a lovely dose of family Christmas
> 
> Maz is just my fave in this, I adore how she turned out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Polish translations: 
> 
> Chrzestna: godmother  
> Pierdolić!: fuck  
> mój drogi chłopcze: my darling boy  
> córeczka : daughter

Rey woke Christmas morning feeling sore but certainly not sorry. There was no confusion, no jumping to cover up, no shame about her nudity or her bedmate’s for that matter. 

Speaking of her bedmate, Ben looked so bloody adorable while he was sleeping. His eyelids fluttered in his sleep, lashes brushing his cheek, dark and luminous in the early morning sun peeking through her curtains, his hair a certifiable mess and so, so touchable, his lips, still a little swollen from her vigour, berry red and drawn into an innocent pout; he was beautiful. There was no other word for it and it made her heart swell. 

He’s mine. 

Pride bloomed deep in her chest as she reflected on the events of Christmas Eve. Her fingers gently traced the marks she had left on him, purple and mottled and entirely hers. 

She had spent most of her childhood in group homes, marking out her belongings before Maz Kanarek and Chewie Bacca came along, every little thing she had bared her messy signature for all to see; trails of hickeys suited him better than her handwriting she mused. 

It amazed her, the things she had managed to leave forgotten when she slipped out of bed. Their clothes were strewn about her room, music was still playing on repeat in the kitchen, her cookies were still bare on the rack and she herself was something else, something other than the person she had been on Christmas Eve. 

She quickly set things to rights, leaving the cookies covered on a plate for them to ice later, before slipping the last of her gifts under the tree and going back to bed for a proper lie in, putting her sonder to good use; it was snuggling weather. 

He was still asleep when she crept back in, but even unconscious, he knew to wrap his arms around her, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Her back to his chest, she snuggled in closer, loving the warmth he provided on such a cold, dreary morning; and when she wriggled a little too close, he set about warming her up in other ways. 

She’d never expected to feel so at ease with someone, but he already worshipped her, and she returned everything that came with that. It surprised her how little had changed between them, his humour still shone through and her snark was ever present; only now it wasn’t so misunderstood. 

And she had to admit, there was something endearing and arousing about his reaction to her pinching his arse and stating; ‘Sugar buns, more like sugar plums; its more Christmassy- I don’t think I’ll ever listen to Tchaikovsky the same way again.’

The shock of his laughter could chase away any shadow and as they continued their morning romp, she knew that this was the kind of thing that stuck. 

This time she was satisfied with slow and peaceful, not wanting to break the light dreamy feel of Christmas morning, she took an eon finding new ways to make him squirm and moan. Choosing to ride him had to be the best decision she ever made, it gave her the time and chance to explore him and exercise control. With him it was amazingly simple, even those awkward transitional moments, finding protection, repositioning, getting comfortable; it was all part of what made the experience worthwhile. 

Clipped laughs, crooked smiles, silent communication, the look on his face when she found the perfect angle to take him, all awe and relief; it lodged in her heart, heightening her senses and her feelings for him. 

He came before her this time, apologies ringing through her small room as though she would mind, as though she hadn’t warmed him up with her mouth first until he was pleading to be inside her. 

Despite her assurances, he made good on his apology; he gently guided her above himself and pulled her down onto his waiting lips when she hesitated, his tongue slipping through her folds until she found her completion, sagging against her headboard unable to find the strength to lift herself until he helped. 

Feeling far too blissed out to worry about moving for a while, it gave them time to talk. 

Reality could be cold, but with him beside her confirming that he was all in, it was toasty and glowing like a hearth. 

“So, I guess Poe and Finn were right about us all along.”

“You know we’re never going to be able to live with them once they find out? Ever since Poe became part of my family, he’s always had a nose for I told you so’s.”

“Mmm, but it’s worth the tradeoff, don’t you think?”

“Oh, most definitely, especially if it means waking up like this with you.”

“Ditto Firebug.”

“Oh my God, no! How did you even hear about that!”

“Poe told me.”

“Of course he did…”

“Well hey, on the bright side, you made up for your cake torture by saving my pierniczki, so I think you're even with the baking gods.”

“I hope so; I burn something once and all of a sudden I’m the laughing stock of my department. Hux still hasn’t let it go.”

“Well hey, I'm pretty sure mine won’t give you third degree’s now; you want some?”

“Hell yeah.”

“As long as you help me ice them?”

She could see him bursting at the seams to crack a joke, so she beat him to the punch just to annoy him. 

Instead of bickering over who thought of it first, he kissed her again; soft, sweet and fulfilling. 

They took turns using the bathroom before heading into the kitchen, both aware that they were too tired to go for round three and likely to lose track of time before their families were set to arrive (everyone in the building knew by now that Leia Organa was planning to spring a visit on her only son, so her own time crunch was rather convenient).

Icing her cookies went perfectly, no innuendo intended (okay maybe a little bit, but that was going to have to wait for later); they worked in concentrated silence side by side, both enjoying the domesticity of it, eventually realising that it was more than okay to hope out loud that they’d be doing this next year.

They barely noticed that they’d moved on to loading the oven with seasoned lamb and vegetables.

When they were done cleaning up, both seemed to gravitate toward the couch, cups of hot chocolate in hand and a plate of biscuits to share between them. He couldn’t think of anything that had ever tasted better. 

They ended up settling on ‘The Shop Around the Corner’ an unexpected shared favourite; having seen it so many times, they left it on in the background; preferring to go over their past interactions looking for inklings of what had already come. 

Hours passed and if she’d kept a tally, Rey could have filled books with the sheer number of missed signs and nuances. 

The closer the hour hand came to her parents arriving, the more she felt the weight of asking him to leave, so, under the guise of a bathroom break, she made up her mind. It was rather simple; she wasn’t going to.

She ducked into her bedroom and snatched her phone up, sending a text to Finn and Poe to direct Leia to her apartment instead of Ben’s. 

That won her the most overzealous phone call of her life and she spent the better part of ten minutes attempting to explain that she didn’t want Ben to leave, so Christmas was crossing the hall this year.

oOo

You could have knocked Ben over with a feather; two things ran through his mind:

First, Rey was so adamant about him staying she had just conspired, behind his back no less with his brother and his secretly, soon to be brother-in-law to move their Christmas celebrations to her cramped apartment.

And second; she openly admitted _why_ to both of them. 

He hadn’t intended to go after her or eavesdrop, but he’d gotten curious when he heard her firm but excited voice. He’d figured she must be on the phone with her parents and wanting to know how much time they had left, he made the decision to seek her out. 

Imagine his surprise at hearing the opposite. It made his heart sing with wild joy and he barely held himself back, gripping the doorframe to keep himself from gathering her up in his arms and interrupting her conversation. 

It was all so new, and she was already staking her claim, making it clear that she intended to hold on to him. The lonely little kid who wondered if he was wanted jumped for joy, and when he stepped quietly into the room just as she was hanging up, he realised it wasn’t going to take him very long to properly return the favour. 

“Hey, I’ve gotta grab some clean clothes, did you find my kit?”

She looked guilty and he tracked her eyes to the floor where her apron lay in a heap at his feet. Ben promptly burst out laughing. 

And not the polite kind either; he was completely doubled over, eyes watering and his ribs splitting as he struggled for breath. 

He picked up her apron and there it was, nestled deep in the recesses of her pocket. 

“I’m so sorry I-”

“Rey.”

“I just didn’t want you t-”

“To leave?”

“Yeah.”

“Good, I'm not planning to.”

“Oh… Well, okay then.”

“I'm just not really dressed for the occasion, I mean yesterday’s sweatpants; I’m not looking to give Maz an aneurysm.”

Her eyes went wide, and she smiled radiantly. She knew exactly what her adoptive mother could be like and being her godson didn’t cut him any slack. 

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and then one to her forehead before darting out of the room with an ‘I love you,’ and a promise of ‘back soon sweetheart,’ echoing behind him. 

It didn’t take long to sort his lock out, after all, he’d practised on it many times. As soon as he was inside, he stripped off, rifling through his closet for jeans and a sweater. 

He slid into his living room, socks warming with the friction against the hardwood floor, barely managing to maintain his balance in his haste; he grabbed the gift labelled ‘Rey’ in his best calligraphy from the pile set for hand delivery and made certain he took his keys with him as he bolted out the door pulling his shoes on with one hand. 

Three long strides and he was knocking on her door again, breathless and still a little mussed, looking every bit the kid on Christmas when she opened the door in the most sublime red sweater-dress and stockings. 

“Your laces are untied.”

He glanced down, and she flicked his nose with a coy ‘made you look.’ 

He chased her in with her gift clutched behind his back, unable to resist capturing her lips again; it was already an addiction and one he didn’t plan to kick. As soon as she was in the kitchen, he slipped her present under her tree and went to help set the table. 

A few minutes later there was a booming knock, he didn’t have to bother telling her there was someone at the door, he was pretty sure their entire floor would be checking for visitors. 

‘It’s no surprise who she picked that up from’ he chuckled to himself.

As soon as Maz and Chewie crossed the threshold it was pandemonium. They dropped their bags, fawning over Rey for a good while until Maz noticed him in the corner trying to look inconspicuous. With his height, he wondered why he even tried. 

“BEN SOLO!!!”

He stifled a groan and he heard Rey giggle. 

“Hi Maz… How’s it goin?”

“You’d know if you ever called.”

“Okay, that was fair… I promise I’ll call so often I’ll start to annoy you, how’s that?”

“Much better. Now come over here and give your Chrzestna a kiss.”

She pinched his cheek and it was just like old times. 

“Pierdolić! Look at you mój drogi chłopcze! You're almost as big as Chewie!”

Rey’s adoptive parents had coincidentally turned out to be old friends of his family and each time they met, they never let him forget just how involved they’d been in his life. Maz more so than her husband; she was a fan of the whole ‘I’ve changed your diapers’ bit and it never failed to make his cheeks and ears burn red. 

Chewie, on the other hand, was, thankfully, much more reserved. Although he did look like he could take your arm off if you crossed him, so there was that; except with Ben, he was fond of crushing bear hugs. 

With Maz yanking him down for hug after hug, he looked over at Rey to plead for help, only to catch her mouth; No way, before abandoning him in favour of checking on the roast.

Maz was strong for a woman for her size, she dragged him over to the table and sat him down, looking deep in his eyes as though she could see right through to the centre of him. 

Evidently, his eyes weren’t the only place she was looking.

“You might want to borrow a little concealer if you don’t want your mother to see that.”

She tapped behind his ear and Ben wished the ground would swallow him whole. He mentally kicked himself for not owning anything high necked. 

“So, who’s the girl?”

Oh boy, there it was. He winced and opened his mouth to speak, only to have Maz snap it shut for him, cackling like a hyena. 

“Boy, you never could hide anything.”

“Yeah, I guess not.”

He smiled at her warmly and she patted his head like she did when he was little. 

“You’re lucky to have each other. Rey suits you, she always has.”

“I know Maz, I know. It just took a while to admit it.”

“A while? Ha, that’s the joke of the century! At least your mother will be pleased to know she won the pool.”

He shot her a questioning look and quickly decided that maybe he was better off not knowing. 

“So, how long has this been going on?”

“Well, it’s kind of recent…”

“And by that you mean?”

“I mean it hasn’t even been a day.”

“Huh; brave move Solo, just like your father; you know he’s really proud of you, and her, wherever he is… Christ, he knew her for all of one week and loved her.”

“He did, didn’t he; offered her a job working with him the first time he met her. He was so shocked when she managed to fix the Falcon, don’t think I’ve ever seen his jaw hit the floor like that in my life.”

“Well, either way, I think its high time you get back to helping my daughter. She’s been going on about cooking this Christmas dinner for months and I’m sure she could use a hand from my first apprentice.”

“Of course, Maz.”

“You treat my córeczka well young Solo, or I’ll set Chewie on you, you know I will.”

He couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him at her threat, honestly, he was more afraid of Maz’s hard stare than he was of Chewie’s brute strength. But he figured it’d be unwise not to offer some kind of reply.

“Promise I will Maz.”

oOo

There was something wonderful about being out in the open and admittedly in love with someone. Ben returned to the kitchen with that same crooked, dreamy smile and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and cheekily reported for duty with a mock salute to top it off.

Many hands made light work and they had everything ready and steaming on the table in a few minutes. 

And adding to the excitement, Poe was headed back with Leia in tow, she expected them any moment now. All that was left was a quick detour to the bathroom to cover up the glaringly obvious mark she’d left on Ben’s neck. 

She’d virtually had to stand at arm’s length at risk of receiving fresh love bites herself. 

“Just so you know I’m not ashamed of it.”

“I didn’t think you were… Maz pointed it out, didn’t she?”

“Yeah, and you know how my mother gets.”

“Oh yes, seeing as we're going ahead with all _this_ I’m expecting to bear the brunt of her longing for grandchildren.”

“Do you-you know, um?”

“Want kids? Sure, I mean not right this second, but I’ve always imagined I’d like being a mother.”

“Good…Good, that’s uh… Good, we’re on the same page.”

“Kinda early to be covering this, don’t you think?”

she giggled lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

“After four years, I dunno?”

He teased back, earning a look that was half scoff half guilt; because if they both been a little less stubborn and a lot more honest, maybe it would have been time.

“Fair point…Aaaand you’re done. Come on, we better get back before my parents assume you’re defiling me in the linen closet or something.”

“Mmh, great idea, less than ideal location.”

“Oi.”

Her timing seemed to be spot on, with Ben’s visible hickeys (and hers) covered, she was finally prepared to face the whirlwind of Leia Organa-Solo. 

For such a small woman she packed one hell of a personality and Rey was more than a little in awe of her. Before the events of last night, she had often wondered how a woman like that raised a guy like Ben, but once she saw through the arrogant, arsehole façade, she understood the similarities. 

He had an inquiring mind, sharp wit (even when he was using it against her) and a way with people (not her) and words that was enviable. 

She knew he suffered internally but his ability to switch off his anxieties was admirable, after getting to know Leia she realised the talent ran in the family. 

There was also the penchant for drama; that was definitely hereditary. 

Her entrance to ‘shave and a haircut, two bits’ was nothing short of spectacular. 

Rey was sure her squeal of excitement could be heard in the next galaxy and she watched on with Ben by her side as their parents sniffled, and hugged, and loudly professed how happy they were to see each other. 

She could feel his surprise, it radiated off him and the way he looked at her like she’d just made his entire year was going in the books as both a win and a highlight. The Organa-Solos had their ups and downs that was well known, but at the end of the day, Ben solo was a Mama’s boy through and through.

It was actually kind of adorable, watching him navigate hugging her while still holding tight to her hand. Unsure of what to do, Rey stifled a laugh while she waited for Leia to notice that little tidbit. 

“Benjamin, you hug your mother properly, both arms now or I sw-”

She looked at their joined hands then back up at Ben’s face with a million questions burning in her eyes.

“Are you two…”

Rey was instantly pulled into the existing hug, crushed between Ben and his mother. Honestly, she kind of liked it until Leia, true to form started gloating. 

“Haha Poe, I said it would be before New Year, didn’t I, didn’t I!”

“Yeah, you did.” He called back with a mouthful of something (and if that didn’t just sum up Poe Dameron).

Eventually, Leia had to let go, but Rey’s heart warmed at the promise of more hugs and a good chat over a cuppa. 

They all sat down to eat, and she couldn’t help but enjoy being cramped. It meant her heart and her table were full and she couldn’t help but take part in their conjubilant conversation. 

Mouths were stuffed, bottles of wine disappeared, crackers were pulled, and they were all wearing those ridiculous paper crowns by the time they managed to fit in coffee and those scrumptious cookies. 

Then it was time for gifts. 

Well on the way to entering food comas, her guests gathered around the tree fighting to stay awake, however, once the first tear of paper sounded out, all of them were struck with excitement. 

It wasn’t extravagant by a longshot, but the few simple gifts brought so much joy to each in attendance. They all smiled at Finn and Poe’s adorable present mishap, both proud owners of the same Star Wars tea set; they laughed at Ben and Leia’s terrible sweaters, Chewie and Maz gifted her an open-ended ticket to visit anytime, met with resounding ‘aww’s’ and in return, she gave them her cookies; baked with love, thanks and appreciation. 

They gave the lonely girl with no parents and no one to love a home, traditions and helped heal her heart along the way; it seemed a small gesture, but all three understood it was so much more. 

But there was one present left, one she hadn’t noticed until all the others had disappeared. Wrapped in the most sumptuous red paper, it made her curious. There were a few awkward seconds where no one claimed it until Ben reached over from his place on the floor with Poe and Rey to pick it up. 

She wasn’t sure why things suddenly felt tense, maybe it was the look he gave her when he handed it over, so full of hope, placing it in her hands with only the briefest of featherlight touches. 

Too afraid to tear it, she carefully pried open the tape holding it together and revealed a plain black box. She pulled the lid off and her face lit up like… you guessed it, a Christmas tree. 

Nestled safely inside were the most hilariously beautiful Christmas tree toppers she had ever seen. 

Before she had a chance to thank him, he shyly started explaining. 

“I noticed last year you didn’t have one and your tree is always covered in memorabilia, and I couldn’t decide, so I thought you might…”

“Ben, I love them!”

One by one she pulled out the toppers; one weeping angel statue, a light up TARDIS, and a rather funny looking Yoda dressed as Santa. She stood immediately, the little Yoda in her hands set to take pride of place when she realised. 

She was too short to place it without a little help. After one hop, then another she was forced to admit defeat. 

“Ben, you’re roughly the size of a tree, right? Could you put the topper on, I can’t reach?”

He smiled up at her and she could tell there was an innuendo dying to come out (but not in front of his mother) and quickly moved to help, 

He took the ornament from her hands, standing much too close to be considered platonic and reached over her head, his eyes only leaving hers for a second to fit it onto the tree. The world seemed to stop, and their surroundings vanished in an instant. 

“It’s a shame I can’t put all of them up there.”

“I know, but I’d rather you leave the mistletoe instead.”

She leaned in.

“Mhmm.”

He bent down just a touch and cupped her face in his hands. 

“Could do with a bit more of it actually…”

He kissed her, chaste and sweet; it was so delightful she wanted to cover her entire apartment in the stuff. 

The funny thing about Ben was the fact that he was always the only one in her line of sight; whether they were arguing, or snogging it was the same. Her hearing, however, was more than intact, so when their friends and family let out a rousing cheer, she jolted back to reality, breaking away with a gasp and a cheeky smile. 

Poe was the first to pipe up;

“Alright you two, we get the point.” 

“You sure?”

She giggled and nudged Ben with her elbow. 

“I’m sure we could manage a refresher if you don’t?”

“Is this payback for the time you walked in on me and Fi-?”

Finn quickly clapped a hand over his boyfriend’s mouth and Rey didn’t think she’d ever seen Leia look so relieved, with how subtle those two were, it was no wonder.

Gradually the night grew weary, her parents bid her goodnight and headed for their hotel, Poe and Finn retired to their apartment and Ben offered Leia his bed for the night. 

She left them alone with a knowing wink and a satisfied smile. 

Christmas might have been over, but Rey knew that every moment with Ben would be a gift.

oOo


	4. Under the Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so we have reached the end
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed this little fic. 
> 
> a very merry Christmas to you and your family   
> and all the best in the new year :) 
> 
> much love   
> Em

Epilogue: One year later

oOo

It had been a long and trying day, Ben had been on shift for Christmas and that meant dealing with every aspect of the silly season; putting out cooking mishaps and a horror car crash at a major inner-city intersection involving a drunk driver and two trapped passengers. By the time he clocked off he was weary and trying not to drag his feet as he walked up the stairs.

He hated being late at the best of times, but today, of all days he could hardly stand it. 

With Leia, Maz and Chewie delayed by storms, it was going to be just Rey and himself and he’d been building up to something the last few weeks that simply couldn’t wait any longer. He opened the door to his apartment and even in his zombified state, made a beeline for the shower. 

He rinsed the sweat and grime of the day off, knowing that in his line of work nothing would remove the smell of soot and ash that lingered in his pores. On the plus side, Rey never seemed to mind it and the thought of her brought a smile to his face. 

Rey, his everything. Amazing how quickly someone can become your whole world, isn’t it? after a month he’d decided he wanted to spend his life with her, two months and he asked his mother to send him his Grandmother’s ring, three months and he asked Chewie and Maz for their blessing, four months and he started planning, five months and he spent almost every night in bed with her wondering how he was ever going to put his feelings into words pretty enough for a proposal, six months and Ben couldn’t believe time had flown that quickly, seven months and Poe started teasing him with his own engagement, eight months and he wondered if he’d ever work up the nerve, nine months and he came to a solution, ten months and he had a plan, eleven months and he was nervous, she thought he was growing distant but really it was anticipation and a concerning lack of self-control that kept him reserved. 

Finally, the time was right, it was exactly a year on, and he was late. 

He got out of the shower feeling somewhat refreshed and pulled on his usual comfy clothes in a daze. He rifled through his desk drawer, pulling out the small red box and tucking it safely away in a small stocking with her name sewn on it and then putting it in his pocket. 

Rey wouldn’t want some fancy affair and he was glad for it. He’d never bought her flowers, she hated that they always died, if Ben wanted to be romantic, he’d buy her plants or cacti; if given a choice between a fancy restaurant or Pizza from Papa Giovanni’s down the road in their most worn pyjamas, she’d take the pizza every time; she’d pick Netflix over the cinema because it was easier to cuddle on their couch (among other things); that wasn’t to say they didn’t occasionally do those types of things, they just both preferred simplicity. 

And it didn’t get any simpler than asking her to be his wife over a quiet Christmas dinner with ridiculously boozy eggnog (she always claimed her hand slipped and last year he was privy to the fact that was a bold-faced lie). 

As he locked his door, he felt anxiety fluttering in his chest, his heart raced a million miles an hour and his vision turned spotty and tunnelled like travelling through Hyperspace. He flicked to her key and opened the door to find her waiting for him. 

His sweetheart was a fucking minx and it seemed he wasn’t the only one that wanted to make something out of their anniversary. He’d seen that TARDIS apron countless times and did his best to deny how hard it made him seeing her in it (he’d been pretty drunk when he admitted it to her). 

She sashayed over and looped her arms around his neck with a seductive little grin, he could see she wasn’t wearing anything underneath it and almost passed out as every pint of blood left his brain at once. 

He kissed her, long and deep wanting to pour every ounce of appreciation and adoration into it that he could. She matched him perfectly, maybe even surpassed him; giving as good as she got. He realised with a low groan of arousal that she had to be incredibly riled up to kiss him that silly that fast. 

“Is this all for me?”

He lifted her skirt curious to see how wet she was underneath it. 

“Mhmm.”

She twitched when his fingers brushed her clit, coming away dripping with wetness and sighed into his chest. No longer wanting to waste time he hooked his arms under her, encouraging a little hop and carried her to her bedroom. He didn’t bother with untying it, he rucked up her skirt and buried his face in her sex, wanting to taste what she’d worked herself up to thinking about this. 

Just when he thought he’d learned all there was to know about the way she could come for and with him, he’d discover something new. A new sound, a change in the way she moaned, nonsensical babbling that occasionally revealed interesting things. 

This time it wasn’t so much her, but the way he saw her that heightened every sensation. This wonderful woman had his heart and after this, everything might change; for the better, making a permanent commitment to her would always be for the better. 

When he slipped inside her it was a cliché homecoming, she was made to take every solid inch of him and she knew just how to bring him to ruin with that fact. No matter what position they were in, she always held the aces and managed to drive him wild with it. 

They built up a steady rhythm, her hips meeting his with perfect timing, the slap of flesh creating a measurable beat for them alone. They tended to scramble to be closer to one another in those last few moments before reaching completion, as though they could crawl into one another and become completely one. 

It was endearing the way she wrapped herself around him before she orgasmed her legs locked behind him and her arms holding him as tight as possible, stealing her breath. He was never far behind her and there would never come a day that he didn’t want to press as deeply as he could when he joined her in falling over the precipice. 

After cleaning up and getting dressed again (so much for the shower) he followed her out into the kitchen and helped her plate up with a teasing comment about his timing being spot on. 

After a great, if slapped together meal, they decided to save the roast etc. for the following day with their parents; he curled up with her on the couch and started to pluck up his courage. 

He reached for the box to soothe himself and after she got settled, he faked dropping the remote to get down on one knee. 

It took her a moment to notice that he had remained there after picking it up, but once she did her eyes widened comically and her jaw dropped. He could see tears shining in her eyes as she waited for him to find his voice again. 

“Does that stocking have my name on it?” 

She asked wetly. 

He could only manage a nod, but it made her tears spill over and a smile cross her face the likes of which he had never seen; it was so radiant it spurred him on. 

“Rey, I think- fuck, I fucked it up already. Let me start again. I _know_ deep down that I’ve been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you; you’ve always challenged me, and I never knew how much I needed that, someone who wasn’t afraid to tell it like it is to my face. There are so many reasons why I love you, your smile, the way you bite your lip when you’re thinking or shout your alternative headcanons at me, the passion you have for everything you do; and that’s what makes the concept of love so inexplicable for me because I could go on, but every day there’s something new to add to the list. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I want to spend every day cataloguing those reasons, for the rest of our lives… God, I hope I’m making sense… Rey, will you do me the very great honour of agreeing to be my wife?” 

She nodded furiously, her eyes shining, and her throat constricted with emotion, barely able to squeak out an official ‘yes’ 

He handed her the red and white trimmed stocking and let her pull out the ring for herself. Her tiny gasp was enough to tell him that she loved it and he was caught off guard when she pounced on him, landing them both in a heap on the floor. 

She kissed every inch of his face with happy little yes’s and ‘I love you’s’ passing her lips, confirming her choice over and over in a joyful chant. When she was done, he held her on top of him, not caring that they were on the floor, practically under the tree and kissed her until they ran out of air. 

It was rather fitting; Rey would always be his most treasured gift. 

The end.

**Author's Note:**

> A very merry Christmas to all of you reading this
> 
> if you've enjoyed this please feel free to leave a comment with some feedback or kudos, they make everyday feel like Christmas
> 
> Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia  
> (Merry Christmas in Polish)  
> xo Em


End file.
